The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for directing users to preferred software services.
As enterprises move to using software services, such as software as a service (SaaS), cloud-based solutions, or the like, for many of their computing needs, these software services create opportunities as well as interesting challenges given the new model for acquisition of software services. As software service offerings become more the norm in many types of software, users may identify software services through Internet browsing, searches, or the like. For users who work for enterprises of any size, a user may find difficulty in knowing which potential software services agree with or conflict with an existing relationship the enterprise has with a software service vendor. That is, users may find a potentially useful software service and start a trial or actually purchase the software service without knowing that there is an existing enterprise related account for that software service or an alternative to the found software service. Utilizing an unapproved software service may result in inaccurate or higher-priced access to the software service as well as a lack of connection and collaboration capability with other employees from the enterprise. Further, once access to a software service is initiated with one user, fixing incorrectly set up accounts and/or trying to transfer data from a trial software service to a software service that is used by the enterprise often creates major problems and increases cost for both the software service vendor and user of the software service. Furthermore, currently there is no good method for informing users or potential users of a given software service that the enterprise is sunsetting a particular software service subscription and moving to another software service, and then quickly getting users redirected and set up with the new software service.
Alternatively, enterprises may experience difficulty in ensuring that new software service subscriptions are set up appropriately (correct organizations, settings, taking advantage of negotiated pricing, and the like). Further, enterprises may experience difficulty in understanding usage patterns (frequency, type of use, value, or the like) for such software service subscriptions. An enterprise may also have some departmental and other software service subscriptions for which they have little or no information about who is using which software service, for what, how frequently, etc. That is, the enterprise may be at the mercy of the software service vendor to share relevant data and provide such data in a manner that may be incorporated into enterprise reporting tools across services.